Education and support networks for assessment of health interventions: Working group 5 report

The aim of Working Group 5 is to develop and coordinate education and support networks for individuals and organizations undertaking or using assessment of health interventions and to identify needs in the field and assist in the establishment of new provisions. Objectives Six objectives on health technology assessment (HTA) training and education in Europe were delineated for Working Group 5: 1. To identify available programs and educational resources; 2. To identify target groups; 3. To conceptualize the needs of these groups and develop a curriculum; 4. To assist in the development of new provisions to address shortcomings; 5. To participate in coordinating education and support activities in Europe; and 6. To develop a framework for support from the network to groups, institutions, and countries in the process of entering the field of HTA. Objectives 1 and 2 and certain aspects of objective 3 are presented in Part 1: HTA Training and Education in Europe. The remaining objectives have a somewhat less analytic but more operational focus and are addressed in Part 2. Translating Recommendations into Practice. The authors are grateful to all those who participated in the survey, and to the members of Working Group 5 for their support and suggestions throughout the project. The authors also thank Dr P. Lehoux and Dr L. Ericson from the University of Montreal in Canada, the ISTAHC secretariat for providing us with data from the ISTAHC survey, and Ms J. Chamova, INAHTA secretariat at SBU in Stockholm, Sweden. for providing us with data from the INAHTA survey. Methods and Structure The work of the group relied on the results of a special survey, with data collected from 46 European countries. The survey focused on current education and training opportunities in the field of HTA and related disciplines. The questionnaires differentiated HTA-related courses from HTA courses, the latter including all or most dimensions of HTA ranging from diffusion of technology to assessment methodology and the use of HTA in making policy. HTA-related courses referred to disciplines useful in HTA (e.g., clinical epidemiology, economic analysis, health policy, etc.). The survey results were discussed at a workshop in Copenhagen and used as a basis for making recommendations. The information produced by Working Group 5 is structured as follows: Part 1: A survey report describing and analyzing the results of the European survey on training and education; Part 2: A policy paper suggesting ways to implement recommendations given by Working Group 5 based on the survey report and workshop discussions; and Part 3: A paper on the European master of science in HTA suggesting a curriculum and a framework for a master's program in HTA at a European level. Recommendations Working Group 5 agreed on seven recommendations on how to improve the supply, quality, and coordination of training and education in HTA in Europe: 1. A common methodologic framework for training and education in HTA in Europe should be developed; 2. A common European curriculum as a basis for training and education in HTA at the university level should be developed; 3. A clearinghouse for information on training and education in HTA needs to be established; 4. A distance learning program in HTA needs to be developed that is tailored to economies in transition; 5. Central and eastern European countries should be adopted by their European Union (EU) neighbors and friends in a concerted action; 6. In several EU countries, INAHTA agencies, local universities, and professional organizations could explore this line of cooperation; and 7. Priorities need to be set with regard to the development of courses for both doers and users of HTA at different levels. Recommendations regarding the establishment of a master of science program in health technology assessment in are presented in detail in the conclusion of part 3.